Bee-hive



(Model.)

A. FfGOMBS.

BEE HIVE. v No. 275,328. Y Patented Apr..3,188s.

lig-fmill* 3 l Y Il N. PETERS, Pholvulhugrnphon Washingwn. D4 C.

UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE.

ABRAHAM E. coMBs, or LONG LANE, Missounr.

BEE-HIVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,328, dated April 3, 1883.

' Application filed December 23, 188i. (Model.) i

To all whom fit may concern Be it known that I, ABRAHAM F. Colinas, a citizen of the United-States, residing at Long Lane, in the county ofDallas and State of Missouri, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Bee- Hives; and I do declare the following' to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thc same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention pertains to an improvement in bee-hives, having particularly for its object to adapt the same for properly providing` for the bees during the cold or inclement season;

and it consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my beehive with the roof or top removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, thereof.

In the construction of my hive I make the casingor house Appreferably oblon g, though it may be of other rectangular form, and subdivide thishouse or case into three compartments by means of the two transverse partitions BB, arranged and secured therein to constitute a large middle chamber, G, and two small end chambers, C C. These partitions havev their upper ends disposed sufficiently below the upper edge of the house or case to vpermit the supporting of the upper projecting pieces of the comb-frames D at a point not above the said edge or end of the casing, as clearly shown, but which is not new. Cleats or anges a a are secured to the house or case A at the upper ends of the small chambers C n C', upon which the upper projecting bars of the comb-frames D are supported, they being arranged at right angles to the comb frames D of the middle chamber, C. This arrangement of chambers secures the greatest possible amount of comb-frame space in a given area. In the front side of the house or case A, at its bottom edge,is the bee-entrance b, and b is the alighting-platform. The partitions B B are provided each with an elongated slot or passage, c, at its lower edge, said passage c extending from the inner front side of the case A to a point, as at c', or a little more than half the length of the partition, the object of which will be presently seen.

E is the swarming-board, adapted to snugly tit in the middle chamber ot' the case in the direction of the width ot' said chamber, and having arms projecting laterally therefrom and resting on the top edges ofthe partitions B B when said board is in use.

.With this arrangement of parts it is observed that by removing a sufficient number of the comb-frames in the central chamber to effect a communication between the end chambers and the unoccupied portion of the middle chamber through the openings or passages c, (the removed frames being taken from the back toward the front,) and placing the board E in position in said middle chamber against the remaining frames, a swarming chamber or quarters is provided for the bees and for holding provisions for their subsistence during the winter or cool season, whereby the bees can pass from the end chambers, which have now become mainlythe comb or honey chambers, into the emptied portion of the middle chamber, now the feedcl1amber,while ventilation is effected through the bee-entrance without exposing the bees to drafts of air, the circulation being carried on by the passage ot' the air, through the bee-entrance into the central chamber,thencebetweentheremainingcomb-frames, (they standing next to the bee-entrance,) and through one of the passages c. The air next passes through that portion of the said passage beyond the board E into the feed-chamber ot' the middle compartment, thence into the other end chamber through its passage c at the front side of the board E, and between the comb-frames again into the middle compartment, and out through the bee-entrance.

Having lthus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A bee-hive consisting essentially of the middle compartment, C, with its bee-entrance, end

compartments, C C', and comb-frames D D',

the partitions B B, having the elongated or extended passages c, and the imperforate board IGC E, the middle compartment adapted to be sepyIn testimony whereof I affix my signatnre'in arated by said board into a feed-chamber fron; presence of two Witnesses. 1 l its other portion, and each sub-chamber o J 11S y said compartment vcommnnicztting with the ABRAHAM F'mkGOMBS' 5 end chamber by means of said passages, While one of said sub-chambers communicates with Witnesses; the bee-entrance, as shown and described, and B, F, MCHENRY, for the purpose set forth. JOHN FEEHAN. 

